Nonoverfill device with centering means



1 43 o. o. RIESER 2,308,830

NON-OVERFILL DEVICE WITH CENTERING MEANS Filed Jan. 8, 1940 INVENTOR. 04/4 51 62 R/Esmz.

BY I

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 19, 1943 NONOVERFILL DEVICE WITH CENTERING MEANS Oliver 0. Rieser, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to The Richardson Company, Lockland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 8, 1940, Serial No. 312,909

Claims. .01. 136-178) In the Keller Patent No. 2,233,081 dated February 25, 1941, entitled Liquid level control device, there is set forth non-overfill means for an electric storage battery which is simple, inexpensive and eficient. It involves a construction of the cell cover to provide a filler well with a bottom, a tubular extension depending from the bottom to a desired maximumelectrolyte level, the extension opening through the bottomfor filling purposes. There is a perforation through the bottom external to the tubular extension so as to vent gas collecting in the hollow interior of the cell cover at a higher level than the lower end of the extension; and there is a weight-actuated valve member in the form of a perforated disc located within the well and acting to close the perforation when the filler cap is removed. The bottom of the well is so shaped as to provide a fulcrum for the valve member. Thus when the filler cap is put in place it rocks the valve member so as to open the perforation. Various modifications of this structure are set forthin my cases Serial No. 296,667 and Serial No. 303,296, and the Keller Patent No. 2,261,032 dated October 28, 1941.

The fundamental object of the present invention is the provision of centering means for the valve member of automatically acting character such that the valve member cannot possibly bind against the walls of the well. stood that the opening of the valve is a positive mechanical function, but the closing thereof, when the filler cap is removed, occurs under the influence of gravity. It is an object of my invention to provide a structure in which any factors which might interfere with that closing,such as frictional binding against the walls of the filler well, or binding or sticking due to the presence of electrolyte wetting the parts or exerting a capillary action thereon,are eliminated. I shall describe my invention in an exemplary embodiment having to do with the structure of the first Keller application set forth above; but its application to other structures will be apparent to the skilled worker in the art from the teachings herein.

These and other objects of my invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe the aforesaid exemplary embodiment. Reference is made to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view through a cell and cell cover with the filler cap removed.

It Will be under- 1 Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of the cell cover showing the filler cap in place.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the filler cap.

In Figure 1, I have shown the walls I' defining one of the cells of a storage battery case. The cell contains the usual assembly 2 of positive and negative battery plates, and the electrolyte 3. The cell has a cell cover 4 of usual external appearance and shape. The body of the cell cover is hollow, providing a gas collection space above the electrolyte; the usual skirt and flange are shown, so that the cell cover can rest upon a ledge within the cell walls and be held in place with the usual sealing compound. The cell cover is shown as provided with conventional openings for the passage of the terminal posts connected to the plate assembly.

It will be understood that while I have illustrated a cell cover of generally conventional form, my invention is applicable to other types of cell cover. The novel elements which distinguish the invention are confined to the filler well and filler cap.

The cell cover is shown with a filler well 5, the interior walls of which are threaded as at 6 or otherwise prepared for the engagement of a filler cap. The well has a bottom I from which depends a tubular extension 8 terminating at a desired maximum electrolyte level. The tubular extension is open for filling purposes through the bottom, which thus assumes an annular form. I provide a perforation 9 (or series of perforations) through the bottom exterior to the tubular extension, for the venting of the gas which collects above the electrolyte level within the hollow interior of the cell cover.

The bottom of the well is, in the embodiment shown, formed in two angularly related planes I0 and H. The meeting line of the two planes forms a fulcrum for a weight operated valve member I3. The valve member is in the form of a. washer or perforated disc so that the cell may be filled while the valve member is in place. The plane I0 is larger than the plane I l so that the fulcrum lies at one side of the center of gravity of the weight-actuated valve member. The valve member thus, unless otherwise actuated, lies against the plane l0; and this plane is the one containing the perforation or perforations 9. Variant constructions could involve the formation of the weight-actuated valve member of irregular cross section to shift its center of gravity if the areas of the planes were equal.

When the filler cap is removed, the weight-actuated valve member will thus close the perforathe weightofia column of electrolyte or Water of the entire length-of the tubular extension in' which event overfilling is prevented, even if the filling is carelessly done. But it is essential for the correct operation of the device, that the Weight-actuatedvalvemember come to rest when;-

the filler cap is removed in a position to close the gas venting perforation? III-order to'preventany possibility of the valve'member-sticking against the sides of the well, I provide means in connection with the filler'cap-tdcenter the.

valve member each time the filler cap is put into position. Thus, when the filler cap is" removed, the weight-actuatedvalve member. will be-free to fall to the Valve closing position.

Thefillercap l2.has the;usual-finge i grippor- 'tion andithe usual threaded-extensionforengagement in thefillerwell. lnthelform shown, it is provided .with an annulus I30. for engagement with thetop of the weight-actuated valve member, It also isprovided, witha conical-ex: tension. [4 the lower end of which is. of; such size that ,it will enter. therperforation in the valve. member in anypossible positionoi the valve member in the welL. The conical configuration ofthe extension is such'that as,the;filler cap is threaded into position, the valve member, if it is not already.centered,. w ill be centered. This relationship is shown'in Figure 2, andit will be seen in that figure how the filler cap raises the valve member awayv froma position in which it closes the, perforation or. perforations 9. The conical extension-as well as the body of the fillerpap may be made hollow as at l5;-and. at the top of the filler cap Iprovide a gas venting orifice It. If desired a splash washer .l'l: may be included in the hollow interior of the; filler p- I Modifications; may ;be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and as I have hereinaboveindicated,it will be;in the skill of the Workerinthe-art' to adapt these teachingsto various styles of devicessuch-as, are showninthe copending. applications referred to above. 7

Having thus described my-invention what I. claim. asnew and desire to. secureby Letters Patent, is: I I

1. In a cover for electric storage batteries in combination, a filler -well having ,a bottom',; a

tubular member open through thefiller well and depending therefrom to a desired maximumelectrolyte level, the saidbottom. of. the weli havinga gasvent passageway exteriorwto said tubular member, a teeter valve in said. filler well capable of resting on said. bottom, said valve and bottom having confrontingsurfacesatleast one of which isbroken to provide.

a fulcrum for said valve, said valve being actuable by gravity to a position in which said] well and said tubular member constitute a single passageway from said electrolyte level upwardly, a filler cap .engageable in said filler well, said teeter valve being actuable by said filler cap to another position permitting. escape of gasinto said filler well throughfsaid gas vent passagewayfrom a point' above the bottom of said tubular member, there being a vent from fing a tapered projection thereon for engaging an edge of said teeter valve member to center 1 the: same and minimize contact thereof with the Walls ofsaidfiller well. a

2. The structure" claimed in claim 1 in which said teeter valve isa substantially washer shaped member, centrally perforated, and in which said centering'means comprises a downward extension-on said filler can, at least a portion of which is conical, for engagement in .thecentralperfo ration in said teeter valve,- said extensionon said valve cap acting to-enforceaposition ofsaid teeter valve substantially out. of contact; with vertical portions of the; walls of said. filler open;

3. The structure claimed in claimel in which said teeter. valve isa substantially, washer shaped member, centrally. perforated, and. in; which said centering means comprises a downward extension on; said filler cap, at least. a; portion;of l

which is conical, for. eng ag ement in the central perforation in said, teeter. valve, said extension on said valve cap 1 acting; to enforce a. position of. said, teeter. valve substantially outof. contact with vertical portionsof thewalls of said filler opening. and in Whichsaidteetervalve is substantially flat, the. bottom of said well. being formed .in two;angularly related meeting planes, one of which is largerthan, the. other; thesaid: gas. vent passageway in thebottom .of said filler; well beinglocated,in,the-larger of said planes. 4.1111 cell cover for: am electric. storage battery of the class in which there is a non-overfi'll assembly. including anapertured. teeter .valve which ,is gravitationally. urged .to. closed position, the .combinationof a filler. cap .having a. tapered member. extending downwardly therefrom, said 7 member beingsmaller. thanr-said'apertureand valve to impart movement thereto.

5. In. a celllcoverfforan electricstorage battery of the class inwhich thereis a.non-overfill-. assembly including. an. apertured teeter. valve arranged. to enter said aperture. in; teeter.

\ which is gravitationally urgedto .closed position,

thefcombination oi. alflller cap having a. .down-- wardly. extendihgt'arired member arranged. to.

enter the, aperture, in said;' tete valve; the ax s of said. aperture. when. said; valvejis; in closd position being hetero -,axialjg.with frespectgto member, said member, 3 upon entrance into said aperture. m'oviii'g said. teeter valve. toward a loos axia'li position-with. respectito; saiuimemb'er'. 1 ig'omvmnio itms a 

